Monday, July 6, 2015

Bitcoin Exchange Hacked With Word Macro

Memo to organizations: Do not allow PCs that run software such as Skype and Microsoft Office to connect to a server that hosts your bitcoin wallet.

That's one takeaway from a breach report apparently prepared for Bitstamp, a European bitcoin exchange - the company is officially registered in the United Kingdom - that suffered a Jan. 4 breach. The breach resulted in the theft of 18,977 bitcoins, which at the time were worth 4.4 million euros, or $5.3 million (see Bitstamp Back Online After Breach).

Bitstamp did not immediately respond to a request to verify the authenticity of the apparently leaked breach report, dated Feb. 20, which is now circulating online. The report, which is attributed to Bitstamp general counsel George Frost, says that it includes information gathered by digital forensics investigations firm Stroz Friedberg, plus information shared by the U.S. Secret Service and FBI . . .

Prior to starting ComSec LLC in 2007, Mr. LeaSure was active within the counterespionage, counterterrorism and TSCM fields for 26 years. He has attained the prestigious CCISM, Certified Counterespionage Information Security Management Certification. He also has extensive training, knowledge and experience in the identification of eavesdropping devices, espionage detection methods and the intelligence collection tactics most often employed by perpetrators of electronic espionage.

J.D. LeaSure is also the Director of the Espionage Research Institute International (ERII). As Director, he is tasked with ensuring the organization is successful in its mission to provide continuing education, facilitate professional relationship building and ensure the counterespionage & counterintelligence skill sets of its membership remains current as espionage tactics and devices evolve.